Name:
The Montague City Rod Company ( Organization )
[ 1886 – 1955 ]
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About
The Montague City Rod Company produced split-bamboo fishing rods, with mills in Pelham, Montague City, and Thetford Vermont.  Originally started as HORACE GRAY & SON in 1858.  After the death of Horace Gray, brothers Leander and Eugene Bartlett  continued to run the Pelham mill.  In 1882 Leander and Eugene Bartlett parted ways, and Leander moved to Montague City, starting the Montague City Rod Company.  Eugene Bartlett continued to operate the Pelham mill as  Eugene P. Bartlett, Amherst MA.  In 1889, Leander and Eugene rejoined forces to operated the Montauge City Rod Company.  By 1900, the Bartlett brothers owned three rod factories and a reel factory.  They made rods for everyone, include those sold at dime stores and at high-priced outfitters. Thousands of rods and reels were produced. A catalog from the early 1900' s includes 60 pages of fishing rods, 60 pages of reels, and about 20 pages of rod components and other fishing supplies. Most of these materials were sold to retailers, who stamped them with their name. By the teens, Montague City Rod Company produced about 3/4 of the split bamboo rods in the world!
Stock was offered to the public in 1931, and the name was changed to Montague City Rod & Reel Company. In an effort to consolidate operations, the Pelham and Vermont factories were closed. This ended Pelham's direct involvement in the fishing rod business except that many of the people who worked in Pelham were retained at the Montague City factory.  At some point the company was sold to the American Fork and Hoe Company (True Temper brand), but it closed completely in 1955.

My great great grandfather was Horace Gray so very much interested in this information.George Hill, 1/7/2018
Identifer:
MontagueCityRodCo
About
The Montague City Rod Company produced split-bamboo fishing rods, with mills in Pelham, Montague City, and Thetford Vermont.  Originally started as HORACE GRAY & SON in 1858.  After the death of Horace Gray, brothers Leander and Eugene Bartlett  continued to run the Pelham mill.  In 1882 Leander and Eugene Bartlett parted ways, and Leander moved to Montague City, starting the Montague City Rod Company.  Eugene Bartlett continued to operate the Pelham mill as  Eugene P. Bartlett, Amherst MA.  In 1889, Leander and Eugene rejoined forces to operated the Montauge City Rod Company.  By 1900, the Bartlett brothers owned three rod factories and a reel factory.  They made rods for everyone, include those sold at dime stores and at high-priced outfitters. Thousands of rods and reels were produced. A catalog from the early 1900' s includes 60 pages of fishing rods, 60 pages of reels, and about 20 pages of rod components and other fishing supplies. Most of these materials were sold to retailers, who stamped them with their name. By the teens, Montague City Rod Company produced about 3/4 of the split bamboo rods in the world!
Stock was offered to the public in 1931, and the name was changed to Montague City Rod & Reel Company. In an effort to consolidate operations, the Pelham and Vermont factories were closed. This ended Pelham's direct involvement in the fishing rod business except that many of the people who worked in Pelham were retained at the Montague City factory.  At some point the company was sold to the American Fork and Hoe Company (True Temper brand), but it closed completely in 1955.

Life span
1886 – 1955
Related collection
Mark Aldrich Collection
Related People:
Mark Bartlet Aldrich [1907]  is related to
Eugene P. Bartlett  owner of

Related Objects:

Related Organizations:
HORACE GRAY & SON  is child of

Library of Congress Subject Terms:
Montague City rod company. Illust. price list.. ( link: http://id.loc.gov/resources/works/10012510.html )